A new study has revealed that more than 250 people died from taking selfies in the past six years. Of the 259 reported deaths, research has shown that drowning was the number one cause of death by a failed selfie. The second cause was people taking selfies in front of oncoming trains. Others involved falling from heights, wild animals, firearms and electrocution.
Here are 10 of the most dangerous selfies.
PS: Do not attempt any of these stunts.
1. Wu Yongning the daredevil
Stuntman Wu Yongning is known for scaling skyscrapers without safety equipment. He would film himself dangling off a roof by his fingertips. He’s considered one of the biggest roof-toppers. At the age of 26, Wu Yongning had more than 60,000 followers on Chinese social media network Weibo. Unfortunately he lost his life during one of his stunts, falling from a 62-storey building.
2. Russian model gets the perfect shot in Dubai
Russian model Viki Odintcova risked her life for the perfect shot in Dubai. The model is pictured leaning on a high-rise building with no support or equipment except for the guy whose hand she’s holding. The man also appears not to have any support except a small beam beside him that he’s leaning on with the other hand. To get a sense of how dangerous this stunt really it, watch the video instead.
3. Alexander Remnev sky walking in China
Photographer Alexander Remnev has cultivated a dangerous habit with his friends. They travel the world searching for the highest and scariest skyscrapers to climb to the top. So far, he and his friends haven’t gotten into too much trouble with the police and there have been no casualties.
4. Daniel Lau climbs high for the scary shot
Daniel Lau is another urban daredevil adventurer whose interests include the life-threatening exercise of climbing to some of the highest scrapers to take a selfie. His Instagram account has several images of his stunts to get the perfect shot.
5. The active volcano selfie
Canadian presenter and well-known adventurer George Kourounis documents extreme weather conditions which has earned him the title ‘Storm chaser’. Kourounis takes pictures daring to a whole new level by posing next to a boiling lava lake situated within the Ambrym volcano in Vanuatu.
6. Selfie in between pilot fighting
Imagine taking a moment to snap a selfie seconds before launching an air-to-air missile. In truth, it was captured by a GoPro in the cockpit and not by hand, but it is a scary if he were to lose focus. The pilot in the shot, Thomas Kristensen is said to be an experienced pilot who has completed missions over Afghanistan, Libya and ex-Yugoslavia.
7. The jellyfish selfie
Underwater photographer Cinzia Bismarck Osele is pictured surrounded by jellyfish in Ras Umm Sid, Egypt. She’s certainly fearless, and doesn’t seem too concerned about about the jellyfish which could cause a painful sting and even death in some cases.
8. The Jesus selfie
While in Brazil preparing for the World Cup, photographer and traveller Lee Thompson was challenged by the Brazilian tourism board to climb the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue and he obliged. Snapping this selfie could have gone very wrong.
9. Bear selfie
There’s been an increase in the number of people posing with bears and wild animals in the US. So much so, that the US Forest Service had to issue an advisory warning visitors to keep their distance. This is obviously risky behavior that could end up in a fatal encounter.
10. Shot for the photo
Forget running with bulls, try running and taking a selfie in front of a bull. The unknown runner put his life at risk, but hey, he managed to get this shot. It’s reported that after this incident, police begun a manhunt for him because it is against the law for participants to take photos during the run.
